Powercor proposes 20 big batteries for Victoria renewable energy zones — RenewEconomy
Victoria network proposes 20 big batteries and multiple syncons it says will fast-track new wind and solar and lessen need for new transmission lines. The post Powercor proposes 20 big batteries for Victoria renewable energy zones appeared first on RenewEconomy.
Powercor proposes 20 big batteries for Victoria renewable energy zones — RenewEconomy
Shutting down nuclear and coal – can Germany keep the lights on? — RenewEconomy
Can a large industrialised society like Germany run securely and smoothly on a power system largely fed by wind and solar? The question is not if, but how. The post Shutting down nuclear and coal – can Germany keep the lights on? appeared first on RenewEconomy.
Shutting down nuclear and coal – can Germany keep the lights on? — RenewEconomy
Chernobyl. Tons of nuclear fuel in the wrecked plant’s basement have started to react again, and it’s showing no signs of stopping. —
Originally posted on Antinuclear: Chernobyl’s nuclear fuel is ‘smoldering’ again and could explode, https://www.livescience.com/chernobyl-smoldering-nuclear-reactions-again.html By Brandon Specktor – Senior Writer 14 May 21, Tons of nuclear fuel in the wrecked plant’s basement has started to react again, and it’s showing no signs of stopping. Nuclear reactions are smoldering again in an inaccessible basement of the wrecked?Chernobyl?nuclear power plant in Ukraine,…
Chernobyl. Tons of nuclear fuel in the wrecked plant’s basement have started to react again, and it’s showing no signs of stopping. —
May 16 Energy News — geoharvey
Opinion: ¶ “Bringing Back Clean Air” • Indoor air pollution from burning gas is a important problem. RMI has made the clear economic case for all-electric homes in new construction, finding that they are cheaper than dual-fuel homes in every major region of the US. Throw in the safety advantages, and there is simply no […]
May 16 Energy News — geoharvey
Overcoming resistance to a nuclear weapons-free world — Beyond Nuclear International
More of us favor abolition. Why don’t our governments?
Overcoming resistance to a nuclear weapons-free world — Beyond Nuclear International
New developments: particle accelerators could make Lucas Heights’ Opal nuclear reactor obsolete. And the pro Kimba waste dump argument useless.
Greg Phillips , Nuclear Fuel Cycle Watch Australia, 14 May 21
Lest we forget. The majority of the radioactivity they want to send to SA/Kimba is from the production of medical isotopes using a method that should be replaced by much cleaner/safer/reliable accelerator/cyclotron methods:”Pallas’s original business case was mainly based on the production of technetium-99m, which is obtained from molybdenum-99 via a generator. Despite the initially favorable forecasts for this reactor isotope, the business case ultimately did not hold up. This is partly due to the rise of the cyclotron, the linear particle accelerator (linac), and the advent of new large-scale production techniques, based on systems or reactors driven by particle accelerators, such as SHINE.
In the current market, the major role of research reactors is mainly determined by the production of technetium-99m, a SPECT isotope and by far the most widely used medical isotope in radiodiagnostics. But new suppliers will soon be entering the market, including SHINE, producers with cyclotrons, and a series of suppliers with linacs.More important than the future production of technetium-99m is the amazing innovative power of the accelerator technology.
For example, the PET isotope rubidium-82 has been marketed fairly recently for measuring the blood flow in the heart muscle. However, this treatment will soon face competition from the even more efficient PET drug fluorine-18 Flurpiridaz.
Although these treatments are more expensive than traditional technetium-99 (SPECT) treatment, they can compete because the imaging is very accurate and takes place in “real time”. This means that one treatment suffices, saving costs.
Pallas’ latest business case focuses mainly on the production of therapeutic isotopes for the treatment of cancer and tumors, with beta-emitter isotopes such as lutetium-177 and yttrium-90 in particular determining the picture in this growing market. But here too the question applies: can Pallas really withstand the innovative power of accelerator technology? Then it is not so much about SHINE, which can certainly become a formidable competitor of reactor manufacturers for the production of lutetium-177 (and later also yttrium-90), but mainly about the advance of new generations of therapeutic accelerator isotopes. For example, alpha emitters, and a new class of beta emitters, will conquer an increasing part of the current beta emitter market. …” more https://www.technischweekblad.nl/opinie-analyse/pallas-versus-de-innovatiekracht-van-versnellertechnologie?fbclid=IwAR2T6Ns_xt27fPBsbTHP0BkNG6x0Xk3x-nbaSJshNSQrZ2W5Q21C4GdvwY0 https://www.facebook.com/groups/1021186047913052
Ionising radiation was proven to be bad for dogs. Does that mean it’s good for humans?
The effects of ionizing radiation on domestic dogs: a review of the atomic bomb testing era, Wiley Online Library , Gabriella J. SpatolaElaine A. Ostrander Timothy A. Mousseau 13 May 2021 https://doi.org/10.1111/brv.12723
ABSTRACT
Dogs were frequently employed as laboratory subjects during the era of atomic bomb testing (1950–1980), particularly in studies used to generate predictive data regarding the expected effects of accidental human occupational exposure to radiation. The bulk of these studies were only partly reported in the primary literature, despite providing vital information regarding the effects of radiation exposure on a model mammalian species. Herein we review this literature and summarize the biological effects in relation to the isotopes used and the method of radionuclide exposure. Overall, these studies demonstrate the wide range of developmental and physiological effects of exposure to radiation and radionuclides in a mid‐sized mammal.
………………………………………………III. CONCLUSIONS
Domestic canines commonly share the same environment, lifestyle, and exposure to pollutants as their human counterparts (Mazzatenta et al., 2017; Ostrander et al., 2017). Coupled with their larger body size and longer lifespan compared to other frequently used model organisms, this makes the canine model a useful tool in studying radiation‐induced diseases.- Frequent effects of radiation exposure in dogs include haematological changes, infertility, and cancer of the bone, liver, lung, and blood, among others. Effects depend on the radionuclide, method of exposure, age at exposure, dose rate, and total exposure dose.
With an increasing demand for nuclear power comes a higher risk of nuclear accidents, and studies of radiation exposures in domestic dogs have provided valuable information for understanding the repercussions for accidentally exposed populations.- Although experiments done in a laboratory setting have proved illuminating, more studies are needed on natural populations affected by past radiological disasters in order to further our understanding of how laboratory results may apply, as such populations are affected by potentially confounding environmental factors. In addition, the vast background knowledge provided by early radiation studies on dogs could allow meaningful conclusions to be drawn regarding the application of laboratory results to natural populations……………… https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/brv.12723#.YJ5JV_2vd9I.twitter
South Korean fishermen sue Japanese government over Fukushima nuclear plant water
South Korean fishermen sue Japanese government over Fukushima nuclear plant water, https://www.wionews.com/world/south-korean-fishermen-sue-japanese-government-over-fukushima-nuclear-plant-water-384768 WION Web TeamSeoul, South Korea, May 13, 2021,
South Korean fisheries associations filed a lawsuit against the Japanese government at a local court on Thursday, seeking compensation for the planned release of contaminated water from the Fukushima nuclear power plant, the Yonhap news agency reported.
The National Federation of Fisheries Cooperatives of Jeju Island and a shipowners’ association told a news conference outside the Jeju District Court they were demanding about 10 million won ($8,800) per day from the Japanese government and Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings.
Local fishing communities worry that years of work to convince consumers that Fukushima’s seafood is safe will be wiped out by the release.
Japan’s government said in April it would release more than 1 million tonnes of treated water from the Fukushima site in stages starting in about two years…….
Environmental groups like Greenpeace, which opposes nuclear power, say radioactive materials like carbon-14 that remain in the water can “be easily concentrated in the food chain”.
They allege accumulated doses over time could damage DNA, and want to see the water stored until technology is developed to improve filtration.
Hamas Targets Israeli Oil And Nuclear Facilities With Rocket Attacks
Hamas Targets Israeli Oil And Nuclear Facilities With Rocket Attacks, Oil Price By ZeroHedge – May 14, 2021 Hamas’ militant wing, the Al-Qassam Brigades, announced earlier this week that it is deliberately targeting Israel’s secretive Dimona nuclear reactor site, known as the Shimon Peres Negev Nuclear Research Center, which lies east of the the Gaza Strip far into the Negev Desert.
It was on Wednesday that Qassam Brigade spokesmen said they were “directing a rocket strike involving 15 rockets for Dimona” – and since then it appears rockets have fallen generally in the southerly area – but there’s since been no reports of direct hits anywhere on the complex, or damage to the site……….
“On Tuesday, at least one rocket appeared to score a direct hit, damaging an Ashkelon facility connected to the Trans-Israel pipeline running from the Mediterranean to the Red Sea,” Newsweek observed, and continued:
“The military wing of Palestinian Islamist movement Hamas has targeted Israel’s nuclear facility, key oil facilities and other sites across the country amid a violent escalation between the two sides.”…… https://oilprice.com/Geopolitics/Middle-East/Hamas-Targets-Israeli-Oil-And-Nuclear-Facilities-With-Rocket-Attacks.html
Chernobyl. Tons of nuclear fuel in the wrecked plant’s basement have started to react again, and it’s showing no signs of stopping.
Chernobyl’s nuclear fuel is ‘smoldering’ again and could explode, https://www.livescience.com/chernobyl-smoldering-nuclear-reactions-again.html By Brandon Specktor – Senior Writer 14 May 21,
Tons of nuclear fuel in the wrecked plant’s basement has started to react again, and it’s showing no signs of stopping.
Nuclear reactions are smoldering again in an inaccessible basement of the wrecked Chernobyl nuclear power plant in Ukraine, according to news reports.
Researchers monitoring the plant — which infamously exploded in a deadly 1986 meltdown — have detected a steady spike in the number of neutrons in an underground room called 305/2. The room is full of heavy rubble, concealing a radioactive mush of uranium, zirconium, graphite and sand that oozed into the plant’s basement like lava, before hardening into formations called fuel-containing materials (FCMs).
Rising neutron levels indicate that these FCMs are undergoing new fission reactions, as neutrons strike and split the nuclei of uranium atoms, creating energy.
For now, this radioactive waste is smoldering “like the embers in a barbecue pit,” Neil Hyatt, a nuclear materials chemist at the University of Sheffield in the U.K., told Science magazine. However, it’s possible that those embers could fully ignite if left undisturbed for too long, resulting in another explosion.
This potential explosion wouldn’t be anywhere near as devastating as the one that shattered the plant in 1986, which resulted in thousands of deaths and spewed a radioactive cloud over Europe, Maxim Saveliev, a senior researcher with the Institute for Safety Problems of Nuclear Power Plants (ISPNPP) in Kyiv, Ukraine, told Science. If the nuclear material ignites again, the blast will be largely contained within the steel and concrete cage known as the Shelter, which officials built around the plant’s ruined Unit Four reactor one year after the accident.
Still, even a contained explosion would make the long-term mission of removing the plant’s FCMs much harder, Saveliev said. The Shelter is old and could easily crumble from the force of an explosion, filling the area with heavy debris and radioactive dust. (The Shelter itself is contained in a larger steel structure called the New Safe Confinement, which was completed in 2018.)
Neutron levels have been steadily rising in room 305/2 for four years, Saveliev said, and could continue rising for several more years without incident. It’s possible these nuclear nuggets will fizzle out on their own in that time. But if neutron levels keep rising, scientists will have to intervene.
That is more easily said than done, of course; plant managers have yet to figure out how to access the tons of radioactive material buried below the room’s thick layers of concrete debris. Radiation levels are too high for humans to endure, but radiation-resistant robots might be able to drill through the rubble and install neutron-absorbing control rods into the room, according to the ISPNPP.
Ukraine hopes to present a detailed plan for the removal of Chernobyl’s still-smoldering FCMs by September, Science reported.
Batteries in the ‘burbs, cheaper EVs and job training in Labor’s budget response — RenewEconomy
Albanese pledges $100 million for new clean energy apprenticeships in Labor’s alternative budget plan. The post Batteries in the ‘burbs, cheaper EVs and job training in Labor’s budget response appeared first on RenewEconomy.
Batteries in the ‘burbs, cheaper EVs and job training in Labor’s budget response — RenewEconomy
Look, no gas! South Australia to build country’s first all-electric hospital — RenewEconomy
South Australia says new women’s and children’s hospital in Adelaide will not be connected to the gas network and won’t use fossil fuels. The post Look, no gas! South Australia to build country’s first all-electric hospital appeared first on RenewEconomy.
Look, no gas! South Australia to build country’s first all-electric hospital — RenewEconomy
Plans for big solar thermal micro-grid at Mt Isa gain momentum — RenewEconomy
Plans to power to remote Queensland mining hub with a mix of concentrated solar thermal, solar PV, gas and battery storage advance with call for contractors. The post Plans for big solar thermal micro-grid at Mt Isa gain momentum appeared first on RenewEconomy.
Plans for big solar thermal micro-grid at Mt Isa gain momentum — RenewEconomy
Taylor’s Kurri Kurri “gas” plant to run on dirty diesel first — RenewEconomy
Environmental Impact Statement for the gas plant proposed for the NSW Hunter region by Angus Taylor reveals it would run for 6 months on diesel, before switching to mostly gas. The post Taylor’s Kurri Kurri “gas” plant to run on dirty diesel first appeared first on RenewEconomy.
Taylor’s Kurri Kurri “gas” plant to run on dirty diesel first — RenewEconomy
May 14 Energy News — geoharvey
Opinion: ¶ “‘An 8th-Grader Could Have Hacked’ The Colonial Pipeline” • Its owners should not be surprised that the Colonial Pipeline was hacked. An outside audit of its cyberattack defenses, delivered to the company more than three years ago, described “atrocious” information management practices and “a patchwork of poorly connected and secured systems.” [CleanTechnica] Colonial […]
May 14 Energy News — geoharvey
1 This month.
PETITION – To: Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and the Australian Labor Government
Chernobyl: The Lost Tapes – A good documentary on Chernobyl on SBS available On Demand for the next 3 weeks– https://www.sbs.com.au/ondemand/tv-program/chernobyl-the-lost-tapes/235274195556
19 May – Webinar- Webinar: No Nuclear Weapons in Australia
Start: 2026-05-19 18:00:00 UTC Canberra, Melbourne, Sydney (GMT+10:00)
End: 2026-05-19 19:30:00 UTC Canberra, Melbourne, Sydney (GMT+10:00)
20 May – Webinar – The dangerous world of AUKUS, US, military occupation and suppression of dissent
National Webinar, 20th May, 2026, 6.30pm AEST. Confronting laws restricting/suppressing protest speech and action
Speakers: Former Sen. Rex Patrick, Lawyer Nick Hanna ,Arthur Rorris ,Jorgen Doyle, Sen David Shoebbridge,
Facilitator Kelley Tranter.
of the week – Australians for War Powers Reform (AWPR)
To see nuclear-related stories in greater depth and intensity
Antinuclear 